Underworld announce ‘Audiophile-Quality’ reissues of back catalogue

Underworld have announced a comprehensive reissue campaign of their first seven studio albums, with each record undergoing an extensive remastering process to deliver what the band describes as “the perfect audio representation” of their back catalog.

Set for release on May 16, 2025, through Smith Hyde Productions, the collection spans over two decades of innovative, ground breaking music, including their seminal releases “dubnobasswithmyheadman” (1994), “Second Toughest In The Infants” (1996), “Beaucoup Fish” (1999), “A Hundred Days Off” (2002), “Oblivion With Bells” (2007), “Barking” (2010), and “Barbara Barbara, we face a shining future” (2016).

Each album will be pressed on 180-gram heavyweight black vinyl and packaged in gatefold sleeves featuring the original artwork, with coloured spines to distinguish each release within the collection. “Barbara Barbara, we face a shining future” will remain a single vinyl release but will include an additional booklet in its gatefold sleeve.

“This was a massive project for me and Karl that we really wanted to get right,” explained Underworld’s Rick Smith. “We entrusted the task to the expert hands of Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios and The Vinyl Factory.”

The meticulous remastering process involved half-speed cutting techniques and pressing on The Vinyl Factory’s vintage EMI 1400 Press machine—equipment dating back to the 1960s that Smith notes “would have worked on all of the formative music that sits in everyone’s record collections.”

Smith described an exhaustive quality control process, revealing that at one point they were comparing “56 separate vinyl disks on the living room floor; four sets of test pressings for each side.” Each pressing underwent three layers of quality control, including examination under a microscope to ensure optimal audio fidelity.

“Now, these records sound like we always hoped they would,” Smith added. “We are very proud and we can’t wait for you to hear them.”

The reissue announcement comes as Underworld prepares for a busy summer touring schedule, with headline performances planned across Europe. Following appearances at festivals in Belfast, Dublin, Switzerland, Poland, Belgium, the Netherlands, and France, the duo will return to the UK for marquee shows at Boiler Room in London, Heritage Live Festival in Essex, and Green Man Festival in Wales. Additional performances are scheduled for TRNSMT Festival in Glasgow and Flow Festival in Helsinki.

The remastered albums are available for pre-order now, with the official release date set for May 16, 2025.

Upcoming Tour Dates:
– May 31, 2025 – AVA Festival, Belfast
– June 1, 2025 – Forbidden Fruit Festival, Dublin
– June 13, 2025 – Festi’Neuch Festival, Switzerland
– June 21, 2025 – Tauron Nowa Muzyka Katowice Festival, Poland
– July 4, 2025 – Rock Werchter Festival, Belgium
– July 5, 2025 – Down The Rabbit Hole, Netherlands
– July 11, 2025 – Peacock Society Festival, France
– July 12, 2025 – TRNSMT Festival, Glasgow Green, UK
– August 2, 2025 – Boiler Room, London, UK
– August 3, 2025 – Heritage Live Festival, Essex, UK
– August 9, 2025 – Flow Festival, Helsinki
– August 16, 2025 – Green Man Festival, Wales, UK